His Forgotten Past
by Shocking Revelation
Summary: The war is over. The gang are living peaceful lives in their own ways. But one day, Aang is involved in a tragic accident that leaves a terrible scar on him forever. He awakens in a strange village, with no memory that he is the Avatar.
1. The Anniversary Party

**His Forgotten Past**

**I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. All rights belong to Nickelodeon. This is a tragic yet romantic story focusing around Aang's life, after he receives severe amnesia from an accident. Upon awaking, he finds himself trapped in a world, that he has no remembrance of, and surrounded by people he believes he has never met before. To make matters worse, he doesn't know that he's the Avatar. **

**Hope you Enjoy!**

Aang zoomed through the busy Ba-Sing Streets. Holding his head high and chin in the air, he moved like a lightning bolt. The hectic day he just went through, had taken more out of him, then he could fathom. But that didn't enervate him from being excited to rush home, to spend time with the love of his life, Katara.

It had been two years since the battle with Ozai, and ever since, Aang and Katara had been in a very close and romantic relationship. They spent long nights out by the lake, enjoying the beautiful scenery and conversing about themselves in ways no one would ever know.

Aang had learned many wondrous things about Katara through these conversations. Some of the facts he never would have imagined, but they only made him love her even more. The rest of the gang had taken to their own imperative duties, and had little time to attend the parties, which Aang and Katara hosted once a month. Sokka was now leaving the luxurious life on Kyoshi Island with Suki.

Together, he and her had become the teachers of the local martial arts school, and had passed down their techniques to various students who had come far and wide, to experience from two of the masters of fighting. Toph had reunited with her parents and had moved to Omashu, where they could help with the rebuilding, after the Fire Nation invasion.

She had teamed up with the fellow earthbenders of the city, and was working on every square inch of the city, to make a larger more pleasant environment for the people. Aang was proud her parents finally recognized her talent and abilities.

Zuko was probably the busiest of all. He traveled day and night all over the world to various towns and valleys, to give advice to the people and help them restructure what had been destroyed during the last hundred years of war. He and Aang rarely spoke to each other. In fact, the last time the two communicated, was four months ago when he informed Aang, that he would not be able to attend the party, due to some personal issues. Aang was worried about his friend's constant alienation. But he understood nonetheless to Zuko duties, which he had to perform.

While on the walk home, Aang noticed a flower cart parked just on the corner of the road. He merrily walked over to the counter and examined the assorted species of flowers that the man had for sale. His eye caught one flower in particular, that seemed to shine dazzlingly in the daylight. It was white, with a large purple ring wrapped around the middle of it. Aang examined the bundle of the flowers sitting on the counter, and wondered if he could get a bundle of the "new flower" he'd just discovered.

"Excuse me," said Aang politely.

The shopkeeper noticed Aang and returned with a wide smile.

"Good afternoon, what might I get for you?"

"I was wondering, if you might happen to have a bundle of that purplish-white flower of there," Aang pointed.

The shopkeeper smile widened. "Ah, you wish to purchase the rare anemone flower? Quite a lovely flower indeed. It is said to be the flower of unfading love. That your love for someone is so precious and so strong, not even the most inclement storm could separate the two of you."

"Yes please, how much do you want for a bundle?"

"Ah, I ask for no money. A flower such as this is too lovely to spend hard-earned cash on. And I can tell from the look on your face, you're buying them for a special someone, am I right?"

"Yes, the girl I intend to marry one day," Aang said happily.

"Beautiful. I love love; it is truly the greatest emotion of all, not another thing quite like it."

"Very true," said Aang.

The shopkeeper took a patch of string, and tied a bundle of anemone flowers together, then handed them to Aang.  
Thank you very much," he said. Katara will be overjoyed when she sees these."

"She is very lucky to have a man like you as her boyfriend," the shopkeeper said. Aang nodded, and started to walk down the street again to his apartment.

When he arrived, he found Katara alone setting up decorations in the parlor. Instantly he could tell that she was preparing for another celebration party, but he was curious to know why so soon.

"Katara, I'm back," he called.

Katara glanced up from the floor to see Aang standing at the doorway.

"Hey, Aang, I'm just decorating as you can see for the party tonight. I've been in and out of town for the past five hours buying various foods and decorations for tonight's fiesta."

"I didn't realize you were going to go so extravagant this time," Aang said admiring the fine porcelain set out on the kitchen table.

"Well, this is' ant an ordinary celebration party," she said. This is the anniversary of our relationship."

Aang's eyes widened. Has it been two full years already? It didn't even occur to him what day it was when he woke up this morning. He could have been spending the whole day alone with Katara. But instead, he spent the majority of it, going around town and helping citizens with various odd jobs, which needed work.

I didn't even find the time to buy here a special gift. The only present could I bring back to her are flowers. Katara deserved so much more than that. While putting up streamers, Katara noticed the bundle of anemones in his hand.

"Aang are those for me?" Oh, you didn't have to get me anything," she said, running up to him and embracing his body in a tight hug.

Aang cradled Katara in his arms tenderly. The anniversary might be almost over, but he was sure to make the rest of evening a night she'll never forget.

Katara took the flowers from her hand and gave them a small sniff. "These are lovely! I'm going to bend some water in a vase right now."

She left the parlor and into the kitchen, leaving Aang alone to admire the work Katara had put together. The entire parlor was festooned with exquisite ornaments and stain glass artwork. The ceiling was coated with streamers, which seemed to go on over the entire house, but of course had to end somewhere.

Katara then returned from the kitchen with a glass vase in her hands. She placed the vase on the coffee table and turned back to Aang.

"There, now our guests can view what lovely flowers you've brought."

"Oh, shoot. I've run out of streamers. I guess I'll have to run all the way across town again, to pick up some more. You stay here and rest for awhile. I know you've been working hard."

Katara slipped on her boots and started to head towards the door. When she wrapped her hand around the knob, Aang placed a hand on the frame and closed it shut.

"Don't worry, I'll swing by the craft store and pick up a few. You just focus on preparing for tonight's guests."

"Aw Aang, that's so sweet. Ok, you go and get the streamers; I'll start fixing the feast for tonight. This is going to be an anniversary we'll never forget.

With a quick kiss, Aang raced out the door, not knowing that this would be the last time he kissed Katara for a very long time.

**I know this chapter is very short and there is not much detail or action. Put rest assure, I promise a lot of suspense in later chapters so please keep reading. Aang will soon be trapped in a world, which he has no remembrance ****of**.

**Please Review!**


	2. The Theives

His Forgotten Past

Chapter 2

By the time Aang left the house it was a quarter to five. The streets were slowly getting less and less crowded and the markets were beginning to close up for the day. Aang hurried as he saw the baker blow out the candle in the shop, signaling to people that he was closing. He walked down a small narrow path that led to an ally at the end of the street. Taking the path, he came upon a small shack at the end. The shack was originally decrepit and falling to pieces.

However, shortly after the war, Aang and several local villagers took the liberty to remodel and open a new business. Once the remodeling was completed, a man named Palo who came from Omashu, and was a close friend to King Bumi, arrived in the town to set up a shop of what he called, "Entertaining Greatness."

He told Aang that celebrations should happen everyday now that the war had ended. He and Aang quickly became the best of friends and would sometimes on weekends go swimming or something. It was a pleasure for Aang to find someone who shared his exact enthusiasm. Something he had longed for in someone for quite a while.

Aang knocked on the wooden door of the shack. There was no answer, but he could hear someone rummaging around inside. He peered in through the glass window and gazed around the room.

It was dark and not much was to be seen. Aang believed the sound was that of Palo tiding up before heading to bed. He was too late. The shop had closed, as well as the other stores in vicinity, leaving Aang left to mope on a cold dark street.

He kicked a stone on the ground and watched it roll towards a fountain. He took a seat upon the ledge and picked up the stone to fiddle with in his hands. Its smooth surface caressed across his fingers as he rubbed its corners. Finally, he tossed it into the fountain to hear a small plop as it hit the water. He glanced into the pool and saw tons of other stones in as well.

He thought about the many people who had come to the fountain before to make wishes. He wondered if their wishes had ever come true. And if they had ever found the happiness that he had.

A few minutes later, a girl came running down the pavement towards the fountain nearly crashing into Aang.

She was clearly out of breath and covered in sweat. Aang quickly grew concerned and stood up to try to calm her.

"What's wrong? Did something happen to you?" he asked.

"They… they stole her," the woman muttered franticly.

"Who? Stole who?" Aang persuaded.

"My baby, there were these strange men who came to my house just before sunset to ask if I had any valuable jewelry for sale. I told them no and to go away, but they were too persistent to leave."

"The tall and bulky one barged in the door and groped through my things, searching for precious goods. The other two grew agitated, and held a knife to my throat, demanding that I give them something of value. I pleaded with them, saying that I was just a poor defenseless woman who lived alone with her baby in the city. But they were too callous to leave well enough alone. The next thing I knew, the big and bulky one knocked me to the floor, and subdued my body so I couldn't move, while the other two entered another room where my baby slept. I heard her cry in terror, but I couldn't escape. My arms were restrained to the floor, while my mouth was pressed hard against the splintery wood. Soon I saw them reentered the parlor, holding my baby in their filthy arms. I began to thrash my body around with all my might, in hopes that I could break free and bumble the thugs who had touched my child. But it was no use. The bulky one turned to me as the exited the room, which I had to give them something valuable before midnight or she would be killed."

"I beg of you Avatar, please rescue my child from these evil fiends."

The woman was swarmed with tears, as she grabbed Aang's arm tightly for emotional support. The young Avatar was baffled in anger and sorrow. How could someone steal a naive infant from a frail mother? The thought that her life was in peril, was enough to send Aang soaring into the sky heading the location of the missing child.

The wind brushed furiously across Aang's face as he ascended through the starry sky. His lips curled with anticipation to where the thieves might be. Keeping a close eye down below at the streets, he scanned the entire perimeter for signs of anybody doing any suspicious activity. He didn't have to fly for long before he heard a cry from below.

"Help, someone please, come quick!"

Aang glided quickly to the ground and ran like the wind down a narrow street. He followed the cry meticulously, knowing he had to find the location fast before something terrible happened. As the cry grew louder, Aang began to run faster. when he was earshot from the scream, he slowed down and came upon a small house on the corner. Inside, he could hear arguing and the pleading of a middle aged woman.

"I told you I don't have any money, now leave me alone."

"Lady, we've been watching you for days now. I see tons of people coming in and out of your store buying a boatload of goods. You have to have at least a minefield of gold piled up somewhere. Now, either tell me where it is, or someone is going to get hurt."

The woman fell to her knees pleading desperately to the bulky man in front of her. But he simply chuckled and drew his sword.

"Ma'am, it really aggravates me, when people lie to me. Now I know you have a pile of loot stored in your cellar back there. Why not be a good girl and fetch it for us, huh?"

The man held the sword under the woman's throat, along with a grin formed cunningly on his face. The woman was terrified. She began to shiver and tears streamed down her cheek. That's when Aang couldn't take it any longer. Without a second to waste, he sprang into the house, staff drawn, and ready to fight.

"You're leaving empty-handed!" he cried sternly.

"The Avatar! Quickly Jocko, Marcus, out the backdoor and ready up the ship. I'll take care of the pest."

The bulky man drew his sword to Aang and glared viciously at him.

"You really shouldn't meddle in someone's business, Avatar. It's very unkind."

"Thievery is no business," Aang spat.

"Where is the baby?"

"Oh, you've come for the little one have you?" the thief taunted.

"Don't fret. She's quite safe in the hands of my boys. But all that can change if you continue to peruse us."

"I don't make deals with wrongdoers. Hand her over, now!" Aang yelled.

"Fine Avatar, you want her? Come and get her." the thief snapped his fingers, which signaled a shuffling sound from the back.

The backdoor flew open and the two thugs walked in. One of them held the baby girl in his arms. They took places beside the head thief and waited for command.

The woman in the corner was fanatical. She cowered under a table and curled herself in a ball to protect her from whatever danger might come next. The baby squirmed and cried in the thug's arm, apparently quite afraid of the people who had kidnapped her.

Aang watched the baby cower in terror and then drew his attention to the head thief.

"I'm going to give you one last chance, hand over the baby, now."

"Oh Avatar, I have no need to fight you. I am certain you will take victory easily. I simply wanted to stall enough time for my boys to make a getaway with the loot this pathetic woman had stored in the back of the shop. Yes, they're probably aboard our ship right about now, embracing the sweet joys of our newfound treasures. Of course, I couldn't make a quick escape without the pesky annoyance of the Avatar following me."

"That's why; I cooked up one of these." The thief opened his knapsack to pull out a small stone sized object. It was gray and had small bumps covering the surface.

Aang grew worried.

"What's that for?" he asked.

"Why, it's for my quick escape. Surely, you didn't think we were going to just run out of the place did you?" That would be much too difficult with someone like yourself around. This here is a homemade grenade. I designed it myself a few weeks ago. You see, my father always was the weapons crafter, I guess I inherited his brilliance."

"When this goes off, the whole house will crumble down to pieces in seconds. We will make our escape, and you will perish."

"Don't worry about the child, she won't be harmed. I couldn't bear the thought of it. However, I can't say the same for you and the poor woman."

Aang's worry turned to fear. As the woman in the corner cried a river of tears, the thief removed a match from his knapsack and held the fame a few inches from the fuse.

"Pleasure meeting you, Avatar. It's a shame we won't be aquatinted any longer."

The flame touched the fuse and in a blink of an eye, the thief threw the grenade towards Aang.

Taking his first instinct, Aang shot a wave of air at the grenade sending it hurling outside. The grenade rocketed skyward and landed only a few feet outside the house.

BOOM!

The house was engulfed in a raging inferno. The walls crumbled in seconds and the roof came in with a heavy blow. Aang's swiftness was useless against the calamity caused by the grenade. A chunk of the roof fell top of his head, breaking it open and spilling a large gush of blood. He hit the floor with a hard impact, sending his body into a paralyzed state. The room began to fall apart more and more and the last thing Aang saw, was the woman trapped under a piece of roof. Her eyes staring at Aang with pain and fear.

Aang's eyes slowly closed, and with the last breath in his body he said;

"It's alright, I'm here."

* * *

Later that night, the thieves returned to the ruins. With a sack in their hands, they picked Aang's badly wounded body up and stuffed it into the sack. Then, from the command of the head thief, they boarded their ship and headed for the middle of the ocean.

Two days at sea, and Aang still hadn't awoken. He lay motionless in the sack, bleeding continually, and not giving a single breath. When they reached the center of the ocean, the thief ordered Marcus and Jocko to remove Aang's body from the sack and throw it overboard.

Marcus complained as he picked Aang up in his arms. "Ew, he's bleeding everywhere. Do we really have to do this?"

"It's what the boss ordered. He says that he can't risk the Avatar waking up and beating him, then taking him to prison." Jocko said.

Marcus snorted as they carried Aang's body from the brig to the port side of the ship.

"In the state he's in, I doubt the little freak is ever going to wake up. But if it's what the boss said, then I guess he's right."

The two hauled Aang to the edge of the boat and tied his wrists and feet with rope, before giving room a good shove off the boat and into the pluming depths of the water.

**There it is the second chapter. Sorry, I haven't uploaded in awhile. I was on vacation in Florida for Christmas. But now I'm back and the writing can continue. **

**Please Review! (Remember No Flames)**


	3. A Strange Awakening

**Chapter 3**

**A Strange Awakening**

Naida never liked to cook supper for the family. She was always picky about what to serve them that they would actually like. Some days she would fix stew, others she would serve fish with a side of spiced vegetables. Whatever the reason, Naida simply didn't like to cook. Nor did she take a liking to her tribe.

Recently on her sixteenth birthday, Naida's father, had arranged for her to marry a local boy in the village. Naida had been associated with the boy her whole life, and never once took a liking towards him.

Abner was his name, and he was quite the boastful fellow. Naida remembered her days as a child, when she would play in the woods with Abner. He would always try to pretend he was a powerful warrior who had to rescue a captured princess from a faraway land.

His imitations were quite absurd, and Nadia couldn't stand to watch him praise himself, while others thought he was the perfect man.

One evening, while Naida's family ate supper, her father Tonto spoke up her upcoming wedding celebration.

"Abner's family visited me at work today," he said.

"They said that once the two are married, we shall earn twelve acres of their area of the woods. The bloodlines which run in our families will be joined, and together we will build a new settlement deep within the heart of the forest."

Nadia's mother shared in her husband's enthusiasm, by complementing on Abner herself.

"Such a fine boy he is," she said gladly.

"He'll make an excellent father for our grandchildren."

"Mother, I really wish you wouldn't discuss these matters while we're eating," Nadia said sternly.

"But why dear? You should overjoyed right now. Your wedding is in a month and your father just acquired twelve more acres of land. It's a happy time, not a sad one."

"I don't want to marry him. He's not the man for me." Nadia said.

Tonto grunted under his breath, while he chewed his salad. Nadia's father never approved of anyone trying to change what had already been settled. It was quite troubling to him, to know that his daughter did not want to be married.

"Nadia, every girl in our tribe has had an arranged marriage for over a hundred years. The traditions are what they are, and must be followed. Your mother was set to marry me long before I even met her. Oh, but I wish I did sooner. Because no other woman in the world could hold a candle to the magnificence and beauty that she is."

Nadia's mother smiled and blushed as the touching compliment echoed in her mind. Nadia however had a different opinion.

"That's lovely father, but I want a life of my own. I don't want to be ruled by my husband every hour of the day, and forced to cook and clean all of the time. I want someone who will love me for who I am and show me more than his snobbish self."

"Young lady, I will not tolerate rude talk about your fiancé. He is a good boy and his family is highly respected throughout the village. They've lived on this land since before or ancestors settled here." Tonto said firmly.

"That's all you care about isn't it dad? The stupid land? You don't even care about how I might feel being forced into something I don't want to be a part of or even know much about."

"Daughter, I know my place in this world and I believe it's high time you learn yours." Tonto yelled, standing up from the table.

Nadia was baffled. Her parents never understood her, nor would they ever see the world the way she saw it through her eyes. Without saying another word, she stormed out of the hut and headed for the beach. Nadia ran for what it seemed like for hours. The sun was beginning to set, and the tide was coming in on the shoreline.

She felt the breeze brush across her face as she stared out into the ocean. The sun was just below the horizon and the birds were flying over the beach and into the trees.

Nadia watched the birds intimately. She wished she was a bird as well, so she could fly away from the village she had known her whole life and into a world that she had never seen before.

As the sun set more, Nadia sat down in the sand and watched the tidal waves brush onto the shore. She dipped her feet into the warm water and was enhanced by the tenderness of the waves. She was so relaxed that she almost didn't notice a large figure floating out on the horizon. She quickly stood up to get a better look, and was shocked when she did.

A boy with his hands and feet tied together, fought furiously as he tried to swim to shore. Nadia was startled, and wasted no time running into the water to rescue him. Out farther into the ocean, the waves were fiercer and more deadly, but Nadia swam like a fish through every one of them. She wasn't going to let someone's life be lost, because she was too cowardly to save them.

Swimming like a fish, Nadia dived deep into open waters, coming up every ten seconds for another wad of air. By the time she reached the boy, he was panicking franticly. He thrashed his arms side to side and darted his tied feet deeper into the water. Nadia grabbed him by his shoulder and coaxed him to calm down, telling him that he was going to be rescued.

When they reached the shoreline, the boy was kicking and fighting hysterically. His mouth was filled with seawater and he coughed continuously trying to get it out.

Nadia pressed him down in the sand trying to release what water was caught in his lungs, but at the same time remained fearful that he wouldn't make it.

**Aang's POV:**

The water clogged Aang's throat like a cork in a bottle. He coughed so hard he thought his heart was going to burst from his chest. His eyes were blurry and he couldn't get a clear image of the person trying to help him. Before he knew it, his hands were free and he could move his legs again. The danger of nearly drowning had sent him straight into terror, then back safe in the arms of comfort.

When his vision cleared, he saw a young beautiful woman kneeling beside him. He was confused but mesmerized at the same time by her. Slowly, he sat up in the sand. His head was throbbing agonizingly and the gash was starting to get infected by dirt.

The woman noticed his wound and quickly ripped a piece of cloth from her dress to wrap around it.

"Oh my goodness, I need to get you some medical attention fast," she said.

"Who are you? And why were you tied up in the middle of the ocean?"

Aang's mind was blank. He couldn't think of single thing. The answers to the mysterious girl's questions were beyond his knowledge. He thought and thought but could not remember anything. He wasn't even sure who he was! Nor could he remember where he came from of the people he was close to.

"The pain… it hurts so much," he muttered.

"I know. Here let me help you too your feet. I'll take you back to my village so I can fix you up ok? Everything will be alright." The girl said.

As blood dripped down Aang's cheek, he grew startled at his surroundings. Where was this place? How did he get here, but more importantly, where did he come from?

The woman led him into the forest. Keeping her cloth over his gashed head, Aang leaned on her shoulder as they cut threw the many branches, which blocked their path.

**Nadia's POV:**

Nadia walked as quickly as she could through the forest. She knew that she had to sneak the boy in; otherwise her parents would order her to throw him back where he was and leave him to die. She entered a small shack not to far from her own hut, and laid the boy down on a cot inside. She opened a drawer in the corner, pulled out a bottle of the tribes disinfecting gel, and rubbed it thoroughly on the gash.

The boy screamed in agony as her fingers ran through the infected wound.

"I'm sorry, I have to do this. I need to get the dirt and bacteria out," she explained.

The boy started to throw his arms fiercely, trying to push Nadia away from him. But Nadia was strong; she held on to the cot and continued to rub the gel in. Afterwards, she poured water into a small bowl and tore another piece of her dress off to soak in the water. She placed the rag onto the boy's gash and held it there.

The boy cooed softly as the water dripped down his bloody cheek. Nadia kneeled by the boy's side, whispering comforting comments to him to help relax him. She examined the strange blue arrows marked over his body. And grew curious of where he came from, and why he couldn't remember.

The night rolled on and Nadia stayed in the shack with the boy she had rescued. He had finally drifted off to sleep, leaving Nadia alone to ponder with her thoughts.

She knew that she couldn't return to the village at this moment. Until the boy was healed and could walk by himself again, she would remain in the shack with him. Whatever it took, Nadia was determined not to lose him.

**Katara's POV:**

Meanwhile, somewhere miles away, a certain water tribe girl was sitting alone in her house, wondering where her boyfriend could be.

She stared out the window at the full moon in the sky, embracing the power that it gave to her. She grew even more worried as the hours past. But before she thought the worse, a certain lemur jumped in through the window and ran to her feet.

The water-tribe girl bent down to pet him, but noticed something in his mouth. It was much larger than the rats he usually brought in, and was made of wood.

She stared in horror as she realized what it was; a broken part of a staff.

And with that glance, her heart shattered into a million tiny pieces, covered in tears.

**That was quite suspenseful to write. Next chapter will be from Katara's point of view. I will probably switch between chapter to chapter from Aang to her, for the rest of the story. **

**Anyway,**

**Hope you enjoyed!**

**Please Review! (They are very much appreciated)  
**


	4. Broken Tears

Chapter 4

Broken Tears

Katara didn't sleep at all that night. Her eyes stared emotionless out the window of her room, terrified at what could have happened to Aang. She let her tears drip from her cheek onto the floor, not even bothering to clean them up. Let them sink into the wood she thought, like the broken staff dug into my heart.

Finally, when she couldn't harbor her feelings any longer, she flipped pages of scrolls out from a desk and pulled out a quill pen to write a letter.

Tears stained the paper as she wrote each dismal word.

_Dear Zuko,_

_It is with great sorrow and fear that I am to say that something terrible might have happen to Aang. _

_I found a broken part of his staff and he hasn't returned yet. I fear the worse and am in a state of mental breakdown. _

_Please come to Ba-Sing-Se as soon as possible. _

_Sincerely,_

_Katara_

Once she signed her signature at the bottom, she folded the scroll and tied it to the back of Momo. Giving him quick directions on where to go, Katara opened the window in her room to let Momo fly off into the cold bitter night.

* * *

Fear crept into Katara's skull for the remainder of the evening. Her breath was cold as ice and her skin felt like a stiff piece of wood. It angered her that she was just sitting around in the apartment moping while Aang lay out there, probably severely injured.

But as much as she wanted to board onto Appa and call out a search party for him, she knew it would be best to wait until Zuko arrived. When he did, Katara nearly knocked him off his feet when she answered the door.

"Katara, it's alright, I'm here now. Don't worry."

"Zuko, we have to find him. Something has happened to him I know it. He would have returned by now if something wasn't wrong."

Zuko stared into the young waterbender's eyes. They were flooded with fresh tears, slowly dripping from the pupils to the ends of her cheeks. He reached out a hand and wiped her face, then gave her another tender hug. Katara buried her face in his robes, sobbing fretfully as he ran his fingers through her hair, while assuring her with comforting plans.

"I'll alert the palace guards to start a search party throughout the city. They'll talk to everyone around the vicinity to see if they have seen him in the past twenty four hours. Don't worry Katara, we'll find him." Zuko said coaxing her to sit down on the sofa.

Katara took in a deep breath of air then released it gently.

"I do hope so, Zuko. It's not like Aang to disappear like this. He just went out to buy more party streamers for our anniversary party, what could have gone wrong?"

Zuko looked around the parlor to see what extravagant decorations Katara had designed for this special night. He was quite amazed indeed. The entire ceiling and walls were garlanded in an air nomad/water tribe theme. On the far end of the room were too tables that were decked with delectable foods consisting of water tribe and air nomad delicacies. Katara had really gone out of her way to make this a night never to forget. But with Aang's mysterious disappearance, no such thing could exist.

"You stay here in case he returns," Zuko said. "I'm going to the palace to tell the Earth King what has happened."

Katara nodded and Zuko left her alone to gather her thoughts, and then headed towards the palace.

The steps to the entrance hall were immense and quite strenuous on Zuko's feet. He eventually made it to the top, just before he thought his back was going to give way. Knowing he couldn't let Katara down, he ran right through the massive columns and into the entrance hall. Two guards stopped him when he reached the door. Both of which, looked very strict and uptight.

"No one is to see the king without a scheduled appointment," one of them said.

"Yes, I'm aware of the standards, but this is an emergency," Zuko said firmly.

"Buddy, you heard what my friend said; no one is to enter without an appointment. No exceptions!"

"Surely you can bend the rules just once, I am the Fire Lord after all," Zuko induced.

"Well, if you are the Fire Lord, I guess I don't see why you can't see the king."

"Just what is this important news you wish to share with him?"

"The Avatar has gone missing and I need him to rally up a search party too look for him." Zuko said. His girlfriend has found a broken piece of his special staff and believes that something terrible might have happened to him."

"How dreadful. We must alert the king at once," the first guard said.

The two escorted Zuko into the palace and led him to the king's chambers where the new Earth King of Ba-Sing-Se now sat, high on his throne. Zuko stared hungrily up at the king, admiring his honorable position and great leadership in the city since the war ended.

"Good evening, Fire Lord Zuko. What do I have the honor of hearing from you tonight?"

Zuko informed the Earth King of Aang's disappearance and asked for a search party to scan the entire city. Apprehension swelled in his chest, while telling every bit of detail that he had discovered so far since his arrival in the city. After hearing his worried tale, the Earth Kingdom nodded, sharing his concern.

"This is something that must be taken into action at once," he said sternly. The Avatar is the keeper of peace and the one to keep the balance in our world. If we lose him, all that exists could be in peril once more."

"Captain, assembly your finest men and send them to scan the entire city. I want every inch inspected for signs of the Avatar. Also, ask anyone you see if they saw anything suspicious in the last few hours. We might be able to get a few clues on our hands that way."

Zuko was grateful for the king's kind deed. After he finished discussing what Katara had found, he returned to the apartment only to find it quiet and empty.

Katara!" he called. No answer.

The decorations still hung from the walls and the food lay sprawled out on the tables, with flies starting to cover it ready for a tasty meal. The silence continued, which caused Zuko to worry. Could something have happened to Katara while I was away? Did someone break into the house and try to ambush her?

No. Katara was a strong, brave young girl. If she could beat his sister in a fight, then she could beat any old burglar.

He carefully strolled up the stairs and into the hallway. There he found a large pool of water on the floor, soaking into the wood and staining the freshly laid down carpet. Zuko kneeled down to the puddle and dipped two fingers into it. The water was still warm, showing a sign that it had been spilled not too long before he returned.

He stood up back to his feet in time to hear a shuffling noise from inside the bedroom up ahead. The burglar of whoever might be in the house was rummaging around through Katara and Aang's belongings. Probably planning on shipping them off to the nearest market he can find, Zuko thought. Well, he doesn't expect the Fire Lord to pop in on him unannounced.

Like a boxer preparing for a duel, Zuko balled his fists and crept slowly to the door. His eyes were glistening with anger as he put one foot in front of the other. In his mind he believed that this intruder, might have some connection to Aang's disappearance, and could give him the answers that he was seeking. But only patience and surprise could reveal those wishes. And as Zuko came nose to nose with the wooden door, he let in a quiet sigh of fresh air. Then with all his energy, he released a fist of flame right onto the door, melting it in seconds. The flames burnt brightly and Zuko could hear a voice from inside the room. Only the voice he heard, wasn't the sound of an intruder.

"Zuko, are you crazy? You could have burnt the whole place down."

It was Katara, standing in the middle of the room with her hair wet and a towel wrapped around her. Zuko turned his attention back towards the hallway, knowing it wasn't polite to stare at a girl while she's practically have naked. He answered from behind the entrance to the room.

"I heard a noise upstairs and when I called you, you didn't answer. I thought something was wrong," he said apologetically.

"Zuko, I just got out of a bath that's all. Warm water calms my nerves and helps me worry less. I've been fine ever since you left for the palace," Katara said.

Zuko cursed himself for his stupidity. How could he burst in on Katara while she was almost nude? Not to mention burn down the door, nonetheless. His head was filled with thoughts of Aang disappearing that it must have sent him into a state of paranoia.

He turned around only to see what sight he was trying to avoid; Katara fully exposed in the open, no towel.

The captivating sight mesmerized his eyes, as his conscience fought to tell him that it was impolite to stare. Katara quickly noticed and covered her breasts and hid behind the bed post.

"I said don't look until I'm decent," she yelled.

Zuko's mind came out of a trance and he ran back downstairs and into the parlor. There he sat on the sofa, trying to think of places Aang might have gone to. But his ideas were clouded by the constant image of Katara appearing in his mind.

He sat up from the sofa and walked over to the table that held the food. Why let such luscious goods go to waste? After all it wasn't like Aang was going to mind, he wasn't around to celebrate in the first place.

**Cliffhanger!**

**Sorry this chapter is short and not too detailed as the rest. I am busy with school, amongst other things, so I didn't really have much time to write a really lengthy chapter. But I do hope this will suffice. **

**Please Review!**

**(Remember No Flames)**


	5. A New Identity

**Chapter 5**

**A New Identity**

Nadia stayed up that night. She sat on the floor under the whole in the shack, in case the stranger she rescued was in need of attention. Who is he? She kept asking herself. What are the blue marks on his skin for? Did he have some sort of disease? Should she have left him to die on the beach, in risk of catching whatever he had? No. That would be the cruel way to go. He was in danger and she saved him from an inch of death. The spirits would be very pleased with her deed.

The temperature was cool that night. A small gust of wind crisscrossed through the trees and flew softly through the window. Nadia sat still as the wind brushed her long brown hair across her face.

The air was cool and refreshing. It gave Nadia a time to reminisce about what she was to expect when she returned to the village.

Her father had probably already set a date for the wedding, as well as already plowed the new land he acquired. The more and more Nadia thought about it, the more she loathed her parents.

They never asked her once in her life if she was alright with their decisions. From the time when she was a little girl, to the woman she is today, Nadia was a puppet under her parents command.

Slowly the wind began to enervate Nadia. Before too long she found herself, leaning against the wall of the shack with both eyes closed. She kept on ear on the watch in case the strange boy might be in pain and the other in case she heard someone walking through the woods. But who would explore the woods at this time of night? She had nothing to worry about. At least she hoped not.

**Aang's POV**

The sunlight poured through Aang's eyelids. He covered a hand to his eyes and sat up slowly in his cot. His head throbbed from the evening before, but he felt like the numbness in his stomach had gone away. As he gazed around the strange new atmosphere he was in, he began to worry.

What is this place? Who is that girl that brought me here? Am I her prisoner? What was I doing in the sea in the first place?

His questions fiddled through his head. And he tried his hardest to stand up to go outside. He placed one foot onto the wooden floor, with his body screaming in pain as he moved each tiny inch. Finally when his second foot touched the floor, he let his weight drop to his legs, and found himself crashing onto the floor completely.

The pain erupted from head to toe, as Aang's body slammed hard into the decrepitated wooden floor of the shack. He bit his tongue hard, trying to be careful not to cry so that he may escape from his capturer.

Aang tried to lift his torso off the ground, but the pain held him down like a boulder tied to his back. His only other option was to crawl to the door. Knowing it would take awhile and be tough on his stomach, Aang decided to rest for a minute just to retrieve his strength.

When the time came, he would flee. Hopefully far away from this mysterious island and back to wherever it is he came from.

A sudden creak of the door startled Aang. He looked up to see the same girl entering, holding a basket of fruit in her hands. She quickly noticed Aang and ran over to his side.

"Oh my goodness, are you ok?" she said motherly. "Did you fall out of bed?"

She knelt beside Aang carefully examining to see if had received any injuries from his proposed fall, but could find no fresh wounds.

"Here, let me help you back up," she said.

Aang tried to protest, but she wrapped her arms around his torso and legs, then lifted him gently back onto the cot.

"There we go. Would you like some fruit?" "I picked it this morning. It's delicious."

Aang eyed the fruit with envy. He was indeed very hungry and couldn't remember the last time he had a meal. He reached out a hand to the basket and pulled out a fresh ripe mango. Not even brothering to peal it, Aang sank his teeth into the fruit, devouring every sip of the juice.

"I can see I came in at the right time. You were hungry weren't you?" the girl said.

"My name is Nadia, by the way. I've lived on this island since I was born. There's a village close by to here, when you've healed I'll take you there to meet my family. I'm sure they would love to meet you."

Aang listened to the girl as he tore off a piece of meat from the mango. He was starting to like this girl, whoever she was. She reminded him of someone he thought he knew, but he couldn't remember who.

"Have you figured out your name yet?" She asked politely.

Aang looked up from his meal. Mango juice was smeared across his lips and was dripping from his chin.

"No." he said. "I don't even remember if I ever had a name or not."

"Well that's silly. Everyone needs a name. It's just not natural to not have one."

"If you can't remember your real name, I shall give one to you. After all, I have to address you by something don't I?" Nadia said.

"Let's see, I found you in the sea, you have strange blue marks on your body, and you have a strong liking to fruit. I think I've found a name that suits you. From this moment on you will now be known as; Roki."

Aang thought about the name; Roki. It sounded strong and brave. Like some courageous warrior from a storybook mothers would read to their children, to help them go to sleep.

"I like it," he said smiling proudly.

"Good. I thought it suited you. Oh look! The sun is coming out, that will warm the forest significantly."

Aang sat up on his cot to get a good look at the world just outside the window. The sunlight poured over the tall trees and into the forest grass. The sky was blue, clear and bright. He saw a bird land in a nest just above the forest top. The sights of nature thrilled him. More than that, they influenced him enough to want to explore the many gifts it had to offer.

"Can we take a walk?" he asked kindly.

Nadia turned to head to look into the wounded Avatar's eyes. the sunlight bounced of her in a remarkable way. Her blue eyes met his with compassion and kindness. Once again he was struck again with the sense of familiarity, but he couldn't grasp who it was he thought of.

"Sure we can take a walk, if you're up to it, that is," Nadia said.

"Oh yes. The fresh air will do be very good. Let me just get up here—

"Roki, you shouldn't try so hard if you're not ready yet, I can wait," Nadia said.

"I'm fine, just need to get these blasted legs of mine to cooperate," Aang grunted. He was clearly in a lot of pain, and Nadia could see.

**Nadia's POV**

Nadia ran over to Roki's cot, helping him get a better angle of his sitting position so that he may step on his feet better. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, and gave him a small nudge to scoot off the bedside.

Roki gently placed one foot on the ground, hoping that he had a good balance as he let his weight fall again. This time, Nadia was at his side, and he nothing to worry about. All thoughts about hitting the hard wood floor again, were history.

Step by step, the two walked outside onto the deck. Roki looked up at the trees, which towered high above the shack. Their leaves seemed to stretch over ten miles long, but Nadia pointed out to him that they were just other trees.

The two stepped softly onto the pine needles and sat down in the cool shade under a great oak tree.

"This is nice," Roki said, admiring his surroundings.

"I'm glad you like it," Nadia said. I come out here to think sometimes."

"About what?" Roki asked curiously.

"Oh, about life, and stuff like that," she said.

"What about life do you think about?" Roki asked.

Nadia smiled. "You're a curious fellow, aren't you?"

"Well, I often find myself thinking about how life will be like when I'm married."

"That's an awful long ways away. Why should you think about marriage so early?" Roki asked, clearly not understanding Nadia's tribal customs.

"Actually, it's only a few weeks away. Now that I'm sixteen, I'm old enough to be married to the man, whom my family chooses. The only problem is, I'm not in love with the man they've chosen."

Nadia sighed depressingly, and then gazed out into the open wooded area, where she used to play at when she was a child.

"Sometimes, I wish I could have a life of my own. Without someone over my head the whole time telling me how to run it."

**Aang's POV:**

Aang was troubled by Nadia's sudden depression. She had seemed like such a lively, cheerful girl, but her life was really in total shatters. He may not know his identity, but he couldn't let her live a life of heartache. He moved a hand to Nadia's shoulder and coaxed her towards him.

"Take me to your village," he said. "I'm going to speak to your father about your disapproval of his plans. Maybe I can reason with him to change his mind."

Nadia sniffled and wiped a tear from her eye. "That's very sweet of you Roki, but my father wouldn't listen. He is a tough, arrogant man who doesn't let people stand in his way of the things he wishes to achieve. Besides, he doesn't even know who you are in the first place."

"Well, he'll never know until you introduce me," Aang said. "Come on, I feel healed enough to walk on my own. But I can't find the way unless my savoir can guide me onto the right path."

Nadia wiped more tears from her eyes. The kindness of her newfound friend's words, were just the medicine to heal her broken heart. And with a grasp of the hands, Nadia led the way down the forest path to the home in which she had known all her life. And for the first time, she was actually looking forward to returning.

**A new life is in store for Aang. What events await him in the village? How will they react? Will Zuko try to seduce Katara? Well, you'll have to keep reading to find out these answers, won't you?**

**Please Review!**


	6. A Romantic Dinner?

**Chapter 6**

**A Romantic Dinner**

Zuko sat perfectly still on the coach, with his hands balled in his lap. His mind whizzed as he tried to think of possible places Aang might have gone to. With no luck, he simply kicked back his feet and lay on the couch. He didn't get much of a nap in because after he closed his eyes, he heard the sound of someone coming downstairs. It was Katara. This time wearing her typical watertribe clothing, and her hair soaking wet.

Zuko stood up in respect for her home when she came down. But she didn't seem to notice him, when she entered the parlor. Instead she walked straight into the kitchen, pulled out a pile of parchments, and sat them on the table. She dipped a quill into a bottle of ink, and then carefully began to write something on the paper.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"I'm writing a missing person's report," Katara said rudely.

"In case you've forgotten, back when you were an outcast, Appa went missing somewhere in Ba-Sing-Se. This devastated Aang. He was infuriated for days and no one was able to calm him down. By the time we got to Ba-Sing-Se, we knew it would be impossible to find Appa by ourselves. So we decided one day that putting up these posters might help us locate him."

"I clearly remember that Katara," Zuko said, trying to ignore her insolence.

"But this is a person we're talking about. Ba-Sing-Se is massive and Aang could be anywhere, or maybe not even in the city at all."

"We should wait until the palace guards turn up with some information that we can go on."

Katara flashed him a dirty look. Anger screamed within her eyes.

"Don't tell me what I should and shouldn't do. My boyfriend is out there somewhere, possibly in danger, and you propose that we sit here and do nothing about it?" Some hero you turned out to be."

Zuko blinked to the waterbender's spiteful words. He couldn't utter a comeback. He knew the pain she was feeling now, and he had to support her through whatever came their way. He walked into the kitchen and put a hand around her shoulder. Katara lowered her head, allowing a tear to drip onto the floor. Zuko embraced her in a tight hug, which told Katara how much he truly cared. And no matter what, Aang would be found.

He lifted her chin to look him in the eyes. The cerulean pools of blue stared hungrily back at him, as if mesmerized in a trance. Zuko took a finger and wiped the tear from her cheek. He couldn't stand to see her cry, it hurt him very much.

What Katara needed was a place to relax. A location where she could let her qualms fly away like birds in the night.

"Katara, would you like to join me for dinner this evening?"

Katara sniffled, followed by another wipe of her tears. "Um, I'm not sure, Zuko. My main concern is finding Aang. I think a relaxing dinner wouldn't take my mind off of a serious matter such as this."

"Katara, just one meal, you haven't eaten in hours," Zuko persuaded.

"I have plenty of nourishment in my own home, thank you," Katara said politely.

But Zuko wasn't going to take no for an answer. As Katara started to exit the parlor, he grabbed Katara gently by the hand. She turned and glanced at his grasp, she looked irritated.

"Zuko, really," she said.

Zuko continued to hold her hand as if he had recovered a valuable jewel and was determined to treasure it forever.

The waterbender sighed with surrender to the Fire Lord's request. She nodded her head to him and Zuko nearly jumped with passion.

"Excellent, what time should I pick you up?" he asked excitedly.

"In an hour or so, but remember Zuko; this dinner does not mean anything. There's nothing going on between us. I'm loyal to Aang and him alone. This is just two friends going out to dinner to have a fun time," Katara said.

Zuko nodded his head. He understood Katara's feelings on the subject, but that didn't mean he couldn't harbor a schoolboy crush could it?"

He left the apartment shortly after and went to the nearest tailor to get a tuxedo fitted.

Time seemed to be trapped in its own hourglass, while the fitting was in process. Zuko size was almost impossible to find. His jacket and pants didn't match and to top it off, his hair was a total disaster. He dipped his hands in a tube outside the tailor shop, and slapped a cup of water on his hair. Unfortunately the water was damp, and dirty, so Zuko's shiny black hair was matted with tiny particles of dirt and bugs. He tried his best to comb it to a proper style, but it was much too long to manage.

After preparing for a blissful evening, he swung by the flower cart to pick up a batch of anemones. He paid the shopkeeper, and then trotted merrily down the street to Katara's apartment. When he arrived, he gave a small knock on the door, in case Katara wasn't ready to leave yet.

A few moments past, before he heard the sound of footsteps from inside. Slowly the door crept open and Katara walked out. She was dazzling under the starry night. She wore a blue dress, with white lace, and her hair was styled exactly like the time when Zuko first met her. On her ears she wore a pair of earrings, which had the watertribe insignia on them. This fascinated Zuko. His hair began to unfold, and he was sweating like a boiler underneath his tuxedo. There was no doubt about it. Aang was the luckiest man in the world.

"Is this to much?" Katara asked. "Should I go put on something that's not too revealing?"

Zuko shook his head. "No. I'm just surprised by how beautiful you look tonight?"

"Aw, why thank you Zuko. You don't look too shabby yourself." Although the hair could use some work."

Zuko laughed and gave his hair a quick brush, before gently taking Katara by the hand and leading her down the steps.

"Such a gentleman you are," she commented. "I love it when guys are so polite. Between you and Aang, I can't tell who has the better manners."

The two came upon a large restaurant in the middle of the square. Katara had been there several times with Aang, and each time was more pleasant than the last.

"Wow, this place is magnificent. I don't know where to begin on what's best to eat here," Katara said.

"Well, the sky's the limit tonight, Katara. You can have anything your heart desires."

"Thanks Zuko, but I'm not a heavy eater. Something like a salad or chicken parmesan will suffice."  
Zuko chuckled. "You know I won't let you settle on something as light as that, Katara he said.

The two entered the restaurant, when the arrived inside, they were greeted by a fancy waiter.

"Good evening, sir, might I take your coat for you?"

"Thank you, Zuko said. "Table for two please,"

Certainly, right this way, please."

The waiter escorted Zuko and Katara to a table at the far end of the restaurant. It was round with a large variety of paintings hung up on the wall behind them. Zuko took his seat after Katara sat down and began to look over the menu. He was fascinated by all the exquisite dishes, but was stunned by the price range of some of them.

Before they good get a scrupulous examination of the menu, the waiter came back to ask them what they wanted for drink.

"Um, I'll have a jasmine cup of tea, thank you," Katara said not looking up from her menu.

And you sir?" The waiter turned to Zuko.

"Yes, I glass of red wine will do nicely," he said.

The waiter left and Zuko started to begin a conversation with Katara.

"So, what are you eating this evening?"

"Truth be told Zuko, I really am not that hungry. My apprehension has killed my appetite; therefore I really am not in the mood for a lavish meal."

Zuko sighed. "I understand your worries for Aang. Believe me; I am just as concerned as you are. But I have notified the palace guards, and as we speak, they are searching the city for any signs of him."

Katara fiddled with her fingers as Zuko spoke calmly to her. He was right in a way. Aang was probably on some urgent mission and didn't have the time to explain it to her. But another part of her said that something was wrong. Aang loved her way too much, to abandon her like this.

The waiter returned with the two drinks and placed them on the table. Zuko picked up his glass of red wine and chugged a large gulp of it down. He then turned his attention back to Katara, who hadn't taken a sip of her tea.

"You know, my uncle would be quite disappointed to see someone waste perfectly good jasmine tea like that," he said.

Katara smiled, thinking about Iroh and his love for tea. "I know, I'm just a little troubled that's all.

"Relax; there is nothing to fret about. Tonight is your night, Katara. As I said earlier, you can have anything your heart desires."

The waiter returned for their order, and that was when Katara decided she had had enough of Zuko's liberality. She took one sip of her tea, before standing up from the table and walking away in a hurry. Zuko was appalled at her sudden departure. He stood up from the table and called to her from across the restaurant.

The attendants grew disturbed by Zuko's sudden interruption and quickly told him to lower his voice, or he would be thrown out from the restaurant. Zuko collapsed onto the seat with grief. His perfect night had been abolished. He now knew for sure Katara wasn't going to cheer up anytime soon.

He signaled the waiter to return and ordered three more glasses of red wine. When he received his beverages, he sipped each drop of the alcohol with utter contempt for Katara.

Why had she deserted him so rudely? Couldn't she see the kindness he was clearly giving her? What an ungrateful little peasant she was being. A total waste of skin. And as each passing thought exited his mind, more and more wine he drank. By the time he was as drunk as a skunk, he had drunk fifteen glasses of wine. Yet he still insisted on another glass. But the waiter refused.

"Sorry pal. You've had enough. How about you call it a night and go home for the evening."

"I'm not tired. I just want another drink!" he said, starting to raise his voice.

"Buddy, I can't give you another glass. You're already intoxicated enough as it is. Do yourself a favor, and get some rest."

Zuko slammed his fists onto the counter. He was infuriated at the denial he had received this entire day. The nerve of people to reject his mere wishes and demands. He was the Fire Lord; he deserved ten times better treatment than this.

Zuko stood up from his chair, knowing that it was pointless to continue an argument he knew he wouldn't win. Instead, he stumbled out of the restaurant into the quiet street.

His mind buzzed like a bee as he took every step. The alcohol had obviously taken a mass effect on his body, and the results were showing as clear as the moon in the sky.

He stumbled back to Katara's apartment, nearly slamming his head into the door as he fumbled around for the key. His vision was blurry, so he couldn't get a clear view of the door, which lay in front of him. He fell to his knees hard, searching every inch of the mat for the key. His hand's stretched toward the flower pot on the ground and felt a papery sensation touch the tip of the fingers. He pulled the object out from the pot, and examined it closely up to his face.

It was a letter: Addressed to him from the palace. Zuko didn't need to be sober to understand the content described within the letter. He was not pleased.

_Dear Fire Lord Zuko,_

_I am extremely sorry to inform you, that earlier this evening my men stumbled upon a destroyed house in the middle of the square. The cause of the destruction was unknown to the guards at first, but after talking to several citizens within the area, they reported that they had seen the Avatar earlier in the vicinity near the house. They also told my men, that there was a robbery occurring at the home, and Avatar Aang confronted the thieves, only then to be surprised by an explosion from a bomb of some sort. After the explosion, the witness said that he saw the thieves returning later to the house, to claim what might have survived the blast. It is currently unknown at the moment, but there is some speculation that the Avatar was killed in the blast, but we cannot confirm these suspicions. Please inform Lady Katara at once of this discover. We know she is quite concerned over the whereabouts of her boyfriend. _

_Sincerely,_

_King Oji _

After reading the ill-fated note, Zuko was starting to gain focus back into his eyes. The clouds that clouded his brain were gone, and he could think straight again. He glanced at the letter again, this time with anger. After a final read-through, he tore the memo into pieces, as released them into the cool midnight wind.

**Suspense, suspense, suspense. Oh, what is going to happen between the too? And how people react when Aang (Roki) enters the village for the first time? It is just too exciting not to continue reading. **

**Please Review  
**


	7. A Rude Welcoming

**Chapter 7**

**A Rude Welcoming **

**Nadia's POV:**

Nadia woke Roki up early the next morning. The sun was just barely starting to rise, and she was tired as could be. She didn't get much rest that night. Her mind was filled with thoughts about how her village would react when she introduced Roki to them.

Her father was at his wits end with her already, and something like this was sure to raise his blood pressure. While walking through the woods, Nadia noticed Roki gawking at the tall trees that surrounded him. From the looks of it, Nadia would guess that Roki had never seen trees like this before. Maybe he hadn't even seen a tree in his whole lifetime.

Nadia tried to slow down her pace to keep up with Roki. He was still dizzy, and his injuries hadn't fully healed yet. She often offered to lend him a hand to help him walk, but Roki was quick to dismiss her.

"Don't worry about me," he said calmly. I feel like a million suns in the sky. And I'm certainly eager to meet your family."

"Well, I'm sure they'll be thrilled to meet you as well, Roki," Nadia said happily. Although she was still quite unsure of this.

"Just let me know if there's anything I can do."

Alright, will do," said Roki.

The two continued to walk through the trees and into the heart of the forest. Nadia saw a large opening peering through the center of the trees. She was instantly reminded of her village just a couple miles up north, and they soon would be home. She started to run straight through the narrow pathway, almost forgetting that Roki was still behind her.

She turned around to see the young boy standing still, looking up at a nest at the top of the tree. Nadia sighed to herself. "This boy has a lot to learn, if he's ever going to function in society," she said to herself.

Roki stared up at the nest that was perched in the center of the tree. A small lizard-bird flew out of the nest and headed out to probably look for food for its babies. Roki was quite curious at this creature that dwelled in the trees. He began to wrap his legs around the bark and tried to scale up the oak. His thighs ached as he tried to reach an arm for a small branch, prodding out from the side. Nadia hollered to him at once.

"Roki, come down here right now. We're almost to the village. And I don't want them to see you all bruised up, before I can even introduce you."

"But this creature is so interesting," Roki moaned. What is it?"

"It's a lizard-bird, Roki. Now come down here this instant, before you break your neck," Nadia said, clearly worried about his safety.

Roki ignored the kind girl's words. Instead he continued to ascend to the top of the tree, until he peered into the hole, which was the nest.

A small clump of pine needles and leaves were bundled together into a nest. A patch of white speckled eggs sat in the center of them like some rock on a log.

He was so fascinated by this specimen living in a mere tree; he didn't hear the returning call of the mother flying back to her nest.

Roki felt a sharp pungent sting hit his back. The lizard-bird cawed madly as she scraped Roki's back. Nadia circled the tree trying to call to Roki to scale down from the tree. But the boy was too caught up in shaking the animal off him, he couldn't understand her cries. Finally, his feet gave way. And Roki came sliding down the tree, shedding the bark as he slid down.

He hit the pine needled floor with a loud plunk, followed by a sharp stinging sensation from his back.

"Oh, man birds are nasty," he said out loud.

Nadia rolled her eyes in annoyance. Training this boy to function in the world was going to be a lot harder than she thought. But she couldn't leave him on his own. He was like a newborn baby in need of its mother.

Nadia brushed the pine needles off of Roki and helped him to his feet.

He bit his teeth together as he straightened his back out. The pain was starting to fade; now it was remerging like an old enemy returning for revenge.

Nadia once again offered to assist in helping Roki walk to the village. But he was too cocky to allow her to lend a hand.

They arrived in the village square where the women would dry the clothes. The atmosphere he had just entered astonished Roki. He gazed at the buildings made of logs standing in a row. They were decked with straw covered roofs, combined with open holes in the walls as windows. The women quickly noticed Nadia enter the village, and were appalled by the mysterious stranger that she brought with her.

**Aang's POV:**

The women stared peculiarly at the blue tattooed stranger enter their village. Each whispered something into one another's ear as the two past each house. Aang was too caught up in his thoughts to notice the people's stares. He held Nadia's hand to pick up a steady pace with her.

The two turned around a corner to reveal a larger logged house on the end of the block. Aang thought about the world he had agreed to visit. Apprehension swelled in his belly, while he gave second thoughts about meeting Nadia's parents.

How will they react when they see me? What if they ask me questions that I can't answer? Do I make up some excuse at the top of my head? No. Then Nadia might get suspicious and ask me why I didn't tell her that before. He just needed to play it cool, and let Nadia handle the rest.

Even if her folks controlled her life, how bad could they possibly be?"

Nadia guided Aang into the log cabin with ease. Aang felt a wave of heat overcome him as he walked into the cabin. The temperature seemed to have increased twenty degrees compared to the temperature outside.

Nadia led him to a wooden table at the corner of the room. She poured him a glass of water from the pail on the floor. Aang drank the refreshment lusciously. The liquid felt cool in his throat after the tiring walk in the woods. He now felt confident that Nadia's parents would welcome him into their homes with open arms.

"Who is this?" Yelled a voice from behind him.

Aang turned his head to see a tall man with a full grown beard, and long raggedy robes looking down at him with a frown on his face.

"Daddy, I told you about this boy. His name is Roki, I found him almost drowning the sea, and I rescued him. He doesn't remember much, but I helped heal his wounds for the past few days, while we stayed in the abandoned shack in the middle of the woods."

"That's where you've been?" Your mother and I along with the whole village have been worried sick about you for days and it turns out you're living right under our noses?"

"What is wrong with you, Nadia? Don't you care about your safety? Don't you know what dangerous creatures live in those woods at night?" You could have been ripped to shreds."

"Dad, I'm perfectly fine taking care of myself. I don't need you to tell me how to run my life."

"Sweetie, please listen to your father," Nadia's mother said.

"Tanya, keep out of this conversation. This is between your daughter and me."

"Now you show up three days later with some "stranger" you happen to find in the middle of the ocean, acting like he's your best friend in the world." Nadia what is wrong with you? You are scheduled to be married in a few weeks and…

"Abner is not going to be my husband," Nadia yelled at the top of her lungs.

"Yes he is," I've through explaining these things to you."

"Now, you take your little friend back where he came from, and you get right back here and tend to your chores."

Aang was scared by Nadia's father's hurtful words. He didn't like him one bit, and certainly wasn't going to give him a chance to tell him his side of the story.

Without another word of argument, Nadia helped Aang to his feet and led him out the door. Aang felt emotionally scarred by Nadia's father's character. His impression on the man was that he wasn't too kind with strangers, he didn't have much hospitality, and he felt disturbed by Aang's presence in his home.

Before Aang could make it to the heart of a young gentleman wearing sharp clothes, and a sword at his waist stopped the forest, him and Nadia. Like Nadia's father, he too had a look of disgust upon his face.

"Nadia, the village has been quite concerned over your whereabouts. Where might you have been might I ask?" He crept closer to Nadia until he was eye to eye with the young girl. She looked frightened; clearly this man upset Nadia on a daily basis.

"It's none of your business of where I've been, Abner Wells. I am old enough to go where I want, when I want, and whenever I please."

Abner gritted his teeth. His eyebrows curved like a winding road. And he let out a quick slap across Nadia's face sending her straight to the ground.

"Women do not talk this way to their husbands," he snarled.

Nadia's lip was bleeding much like Aang's head was. She put a hand to her mouth to apply pressure to the cut, as Abner bent down to the ground to lift her up violently.

He pulled her close against his chest and gritted his teeth once again. This time, more aggressively.

"Listen to me," he said cruelly. "The day we are wedded, you belong to me. You are my property, you do what I say, you'll be where I want you to be, and you'll produce an heir to carry on in my father's industry. Anything opposite of those demands, and you and your old man will see the wrath of the spirits."

"Leave her alone," Aang spat.

Abner jerked his head to Aang's direction. Fury raged in his eyes.

"What's with the blue arrowed freak?" he said.

"Leave Roki out of this, he's not doing any harm," Nadia pleaded.

"Oh. So now you've gone and found yourself a new partner, have you?"

I hate to have to make you witness something gory as this, Nadia,"

"But no man if going to hang around my girl, and get away with it."

Abner approached Aang with animosity. He scowled into Aang's eyes deeply. The young lad had hated anyone meddling in his business, and unfortunately, Aang was the perfect specimen.

Abner threw a solid punch hitting Aang smack in the jaw. This sent the young Avatar plummeting to the floor. His lip bled similar to Nadia's, and his bandage on his head was starting to peel off.

Abner ran to Aang's side and began to continue his thrashing. Aang tried to swerve out of the maniac's path, but his force was much too strong. Abner picked Aang up by the shoulders and head-butted him straight to the ground again. This time Aang received his opening. He kicked Abner in his right shin, just as he stood up. This sent the well-dressed man tumbling to the floor in pain.

But Abner healed quickly, so Aang didn't have the time to relish his victory. Before he turned back to Nadia, Abner sprang from behind him and smacked his face into the dirt road. There, Abner slammed Aang's mug into the ground continually, savoring every bit of his pain as he rubbed the gravel deep within his skin. The bandage started to unpeel, and a pool of fresh blood came out like a river.

As cruel as his nature, Abner had just the cold heart to do something as nasty as smothering Aang's open wound with dirt and gravel.

Aang squirmed under Abner's mighty grasp. The pressure from his massive body coerced him down to the point where he thought his body was going to explode.

Blood dripped from his wound and into his mouth. Aang spitted at the salty taste of blood, entering his mouth. Abner was strong, and was not willing to let Aang free, no matter what the cost.

The young Avatar spotted his chance a few feet away from where he now lay. A large pile of glass lay sprawled out on the road, just in front of him. If he could get to the glass, maybe he could use it as a weapon in self defense.

Aang tried to force Abner off of him. By thrashing as madly as tidal wave, he slowly crawled towards the pile of glass.

Abner continued to wail onto Aang's body as he crawled with anguish towards the pile of glass. When he was just an arms length from grabbing a slice, Abner slammed a heavy fist onto his arm. Aang let out a cry of pain into the air.

The whole villagers stood around him watching him and Abner as if they were street performers instead of two people fighting each other.

Aang's arm felt like a broken twig. He tried to stretch it out to the glass, but the throbbing of the blow had caused too much damage to move. His other arm was down by his torso. Slowly by slowly, he extended it from underneath him. While being careful to avoid Abner's blows as he wailed down upon him.

Quick as lightning, Aang grabbed a large chunk of glass. He flipped his body around and jammed the piece straight into Abner's throat. Blood spewed from the esophagus like a water spout.

The villagers cringed at the mere sight of Abner bleeding from head to toe. Aang's opponent fell to the ground, still ejecting blood like crazy from his throat.

In a moment, his body stopped shaking violently, and he passed out onto the road, bleeding like a gutted animal from a long day's hunt.

**Nadia's POV:**

Nadia stared staggeringly at the sight before her. The stranger, whom she recently met a few days ago, had brutally killed her fiancé. She was speechless. The villagers crept up to Aang, ready to subdue him at any moment, before Nadia ran over to his side.

"Roki, are you alright? Please answer me."

Roki lifted his bloodied and beaten head up to see Nadia's blue eyes staring back at him. His body was numb, and Nadia could barely feel his pulse as she held him in her arms.

"Nadia… I'm sorry. I didn't mean to…

But he was cut off by a swarm of angry villagers tearing him from Nadia's side and slamming him against the wall of a house.

Roki screamed in agony as the villagers wrapped rope tightly around his wrists and ankles. There was no way he could escape now. Not in the state that he's in.

Nadia pleaded with the villagers to let Roki go, saying he was only defending himself. But a large village dweller with short brown hair merely said to her;

"He's a murderer. He must be arrested and brought to justice immediately."

Nadia's eyes filled with tears as she watched the townsfolk drag away her friend, bound in ropes. The wound from his head was spilled wide open. He dripped blood with every step he took, which only brought more tears to Nadia's eyes.

How could this have happen? She only intended to introduce him to her parents, and allow him to stay in the village until he was fully healed. Why had Abner showed up? It was his fault that Roki reacted so violently. If he hadn't started the wrestle in the first place, Roki wouldn't have slit his throat with the glass.

She watched the villagers carry Roki away in pure sorrow. Somehow, someway, she was going to free him from his prison, before the sentence was called. No matter what it took, no innocent man was going to die in vain. Just as sure as her teardrops dripped into the blood in the road, Nadia would set him free.

**My greatest apologies for not uploading in awhile. School has had me so busy; I haven't had the chance to get to another chapter of this story. This one is the best I can write at the moment. But I do promise much more suspense and sense in later chapters. Right now is kind of bare bone for what is yet to come. And for all of you with curious questions like; Is Abner really dead? Will the village give Aang another chance? Will Zuko tell Katara about the letter?**

**Questions, questions, questions, and still no answers. The only key is for me to continue writing, and for you to continue reading.**

**Please Review!**


	8. A Little Bit of Comfort

**Chapter 8**

**A Little Bit of Comfort**

Zuko's head was still intoxicated from the night before. As soon as he stepped into the apartment, he crashed onto the sofa and was out cold. When morning came, the sunlight which shone through the windows hurt his eyes to see. He struggled to lift his body off the sofa to sit up. Clearly he was very much exhausted, and had a killer headache. "I wonder if Katara is up," he said to himself. But there was no sign of the waterbender in the parlor or the kitchen.

Zuko assumed she must still be sleeping. Probably was best for her. She was still very much distraught over Aang's disappearance, perhaps rest was what she needed. Zuko entered the kitchen with a hand placed on his forehead. His head felt like a raging volcano that was erupting like crazy. He tore a piece of cloth off from the table and dipped it into a bucket of water to place on his head.

The cool liquid rolled down Zuko's left cheek. This was just what he needed to cure the intense pain. But a load knocking from the door soon disturbed the comfort.

Zuko gritted his teeth together. His head now felt like a drum beating loudly in a parade. Throwing the towel back into the bucket, he slowly plodded over to the door to answer it.

There on the doorstep were three familiar faces, all of which he wasn't in the mood for seeing.

"Zuko, when did you get here?" Is Katara awake yet?" asked Sokka.

"I arrived a few days ago, and no Katara is upstairs asleep. So please come back at a better time."

"What's wrong with you flame boy?" You don't sound yourself?" Toph said.

"I have a bloodshot headache, and I'm really not in the mood for company."

"Well, this is Katara and Aang's house; you technically have no say in who can come in and cant," Suki said.

Zuko rolled his eyes in annoyance. Knowing there was no point in arguing, he held out an arm and led the three into the parlor. There he prepared them each a cup of jasmine tea, and a small side of bread.

Afterwards, Zuko crashed on the sofa, still holding a hand to his forehead. He was hoping his friends wouldn't talk while they were eating, but as always, Sokka's mouth was running.

"Have you heard any word on Aang recently?" he asked.

Zuko remembered the note from the Earth King he had received last night. How could he have forgotten about that? The paper he tore up and threw into the wind. Why did he do that again? Oh yes, Katara that's why. Without any info on her boyfriend's whereabouts, she would come to Zuko for comfort, and that was what he wanted. Katara was so beautiful, and so delicate. With Aang out of the picture, he could have her all to himself.

"No, I haven't," he lied. "I went to the Earth King to request a search party, but I haven't heard any word if they found anything."

Suki frowned. She clearly looked quite worried. "Oh I do hope we find him soon. He's the Avatar; the world needs him to keep the peace." Where could he have gone?"

"Like I said, I have received no info. So there's not much we can do at the moment. Hopefully, the party will return soon, but until then I suggest we wait here." Zuko said impatiently.

The whole time Zuko talked, he noticed Toph stare ominously at him. He had completely forgotten about her ability to perceive lies, which he just kept spinning one after another.

The earthbender put down her teacup and leaned back on the sofa. She still had that suspicious look on her face, which only increased Zuko's apprehension.

"You sure you haven't heard anything from Aang? She asked, this time more skeptical.

"Toph I swear to you, I haven't heard anything from anybody. Katara and I went out to dinner last night, since then I haven't seen anybody else in the city."

"Why did you take Katara out to dinner?" Sokka asked.

"Yeah, isn't she Aang's girlfriend," Toph questioned.

"You're not supposed to hit on other's partners," Suki added.

Zuko slammed his fists on his knees. His eyes blazed with anger.

"I wasn't hitting on her, damn it."

"She was troubled by Aang's disappearance, so I thought I'd cheer her up by taking her out to dinner. Is that a crime?"

Nobody said a word. But Toph still focused her blind eyes in Zuko's direction. She could hear his pulse pacing quick. With every lie that slipped off his tongue she could tell, for she had the ability to.

Sokka could tell that Zuko wasn't in the mood to talk. So he ushered Toph and Suki back out the door, so that the Fire Lord could have his moment in peace. Before closing the door, Sokka stuck a hand back inside to catch it from locking. Zuko looked into his deep dark brown eyes, they were full with curiosity. "We'll be in the city for a few days," he said. Find us whenever Katara wakes up. I'm anxious to comfort her for her loss."

"Will do," Zuko said calmly. He shut the door and locked the hinges tight as a tick. He was determined not to let anyone else intrude on his peaceful afternoon with Katara, who now still laid soft asleep upstairs in her bed.

Zuko flexed his arms into the air as he leaned backward on the couch. His headache was starting to fade, but a burning sense of anxiety still lingered in his mind. When Katara woke up, she was sure to act differently. After his attempt to seduce her last night, she probably wouldn't be too happy to find him lingering around her house while she slept.

He picked up the rag from the floor and placed it back on his head. By now it was dry, and Zuko still had a killer headache. He threw the towel to the ground. What point was there in trying to cure his pain? He was drained of too much energy to even bother to clean up his mess, neither to care.

Instead, he returned to his position of lying perfectly still on the couch. Katara sounded like she was in a deep sleep. He had nothing to worry about, especially her awakening.

Then a gentle sound of footsteps came softly down the stairs. Zuko turned his aching head over to see Katara, whose face was wet with tears.

"Hey, I almost didn't hear you come down, are you alright?" he asked restlessly.

Katara gave a small sniffle, before wiping her cheek to answer.

"I've been up for about five minutes," she said. I was just looking over a painting of Aang and me, which was done about a month ago.

In Katara's left hand, Zuko saw a framed panting of Aang and Katara together. From his view of the picture, the two looked very happy. They held hands, and each had bright smiles across their faces. Zuko felt heartbroken when he saw this image. He began to curse himself in his mind for never telling Katara his true feelings.

Even after he had won her trust, the Fire Lord never admitted his love for the waterbender. And now her heart belonged to someone else. Someone that Zuko could never hold a candle too.

Katara wept over the painting as she stood in front of Zuko. Her eyes were watered with tears, as she stared blankly at canvas. Zuko felt his comforting nerves start to kick in. Katara needed more reassurance than ever during this time, and he was just the person to do so.

"Katara, come sit down, lets talk," he said. The waterbender complied with his wishes, by sitting down on the couch beside him. Zuko removed the painting from her hands, and sat it gently on the table.

"Katara, I understand your concern over Aang's disappearance. Believe me; it has shocked me beyond comprehension as well. The simple thought that the Avatar is missing, can really create a lot of fear and worry. But there are times when we must, move on and not the bad times bring us down."

"But Zuko, he's the Avatar! The war may be over, but he is still needed to keep balance between the four nations. We can't just give up after searching for a short amount of time. We have to be persistent and not willing to give in to desperation."

"I know what you mean, it's like a piece of your heart has been removed from your body. You're constantly trying to repair the damage done, but the wound has already been infected beyond curing. We'll find Aang, Katara, I promise you that."

Zuko put a hand to his forehead. The throbbing was excruciating, and he couldn't think straight. Katara noticed his painful sighing. She quickly ran into the kitchen to bend some water into a bowel, to bring to Zuko. Kneeling down beside the couch, Katara bended the water from the bowl onto Zuko's forehead. Zuko's bangs dangled in front of her hands as she rubbed the water on the base of the forehead. Zuko lay in leisure, while the young waterbender tended to his headache. The cool liquid dripped down from his head, falling down onto his neck. His body felt like it was melting, and he couldn't resist being turned on.

"You should have told me you had a headache, I would have healed you sooner," Katara said.

Zuko's body felt exhilarated by the tender touch of Katara. His insides started to swirl in circles, his hair stood up on the back of his neck, and his eyes gleamed with passion.

Katara was so beautiful. An angel upon earth sat beside him at this very moment. Zuko rejoiced at every erotic thought that crossed his mind, while he lay perfectly still on the couch. He finally opened his eyes to see the opening of Katara's nightgown. A nice long shot of cleavage stared hungrily back at him. Zuko's mind raced at the size of her breasts, he couldn't wait any longer. He had to pour his love all over her.

Slowly, he reached out a hand to Katara's left cheek. The young waterbender stood puzzled at what Zuko was doing, as well as somewhat concerned.

"Zuko, what are you doing?" she asked nervously.

"It's alright Katara, I won't hurt you. I just want to embrace the beauty that you are."

Before she knew it, Zuko had his lips against Katara's. A wet sensation tickled in Katara's body. She as well could not fight the urge of being turned on by Zuko's seducement. Zuko removed his lips and opened his eyes to look into hers.

To his surprise, Katara smiled as well and began to unbutton her nightgown.

In seconds, the light blue dress slipped off her back and fell to the floor.

Katara stood in front of him in her white bra and panties. She looked marvelous.

Zuko felt his heart race as he tore off his shirt, ready to make love with the woman of his dreams.

Katara smiled elegantly as she took her bra and panties, tossing them to the floor as well.

Zuko wrapped his arms around Katara's waist and began to kiss her passionately around the neck.

"Zuko, we really shouldn't be doing this," she whispered softly.

"Don't talk. Just let me love you," he whispered back.

The two fell to the floor rocking each others body like the wind would a cradle.

Zuko caressed Katara in his arms as he kissed every inch of her body as he could. His mind whirled with desire as he gently rubbed his hands across her smooth breasts. The tender soft touch of her skin caused Zuko to lose control. He was elated by the thrusting of their bodies together, and was determined not to let it end.

In one blow he thrust inside her. She screamed in ecstasy and wrapped her legs around his back. He pulled back and thrust in again, at the same time Katara brought her hips up meeting his thrust. They both moaned in pleasure, while Zuko built up a rhythm thrusting in and out while she followed him.

"Deeper!" she panted as she unraveled her legs from his back and placed them on top of his shoulder so he could penetrate her more fierce and deeper.

Although Katara's conscience screamed for her to stop doing this sinful act, she continued to pursue her erotic desires. Adultery was very frowned upon in her tribe, and her family (including Aang) would be devastated to know she had made love with another man.

But Katara ignored these advisable words. Instead she rocked Zuko back in forth across her body, causing a pleasurable sensation erupt from her clitoris and up her spine. There was no denying it, Zuko was truly amazing.

"Stay inside me," She cooed as the Fire Lord continued to thrust his body deeper.

"I wouldn't have it any other way," he obliged, while beginning rub his hands down her stomach.

The afternoon drew on, and so did their fornication. By the time evening closed in, Zuko and Katara were left lying on the wooden floor of the parlor, breathing heavily.

Zuko turned his head to Katara who was sweating greatly. Her hair was wet with perspiration as she breathed in and out.

"That was amazing," she said.

Zuko moved his head over to hers and replied to the comment with another tender kiss on the lips.

"Ditto," he whispered.

But the young waterbender's conscience was starting to overpower her. She began to itemize reasons why what she did with Zuko was wrong. And before she knew it, guilt was taking over as well.

Katara quickly threw herself to her feet, grabbed her undergarments and stormed upstairs. She began to redress herself, before locking the door behind her. She was determined not to let Zuko enter, especially after their affair.

After putting on a clean pair of pants, Katara went into the bathroom to clean herself off. Sweat was soaking her hair, causing it to become oily and messy.

As the water soaked her long brown hair, Katara couldn't help but feel even guiltier for what she had done.

Adultery, was a very serious crime, even if the true lover was away, it still wasn't the proper thing to be seduced too. Katara looked at herself in the mirror. Her ocean blue eyes stared ominously back at her. No telling where this simple act would lead her. But whatever lay ahead in Katara's future, she hoped with pure faith that Aang would someday return.

**My second shot at a lemon scene. The other one is in my story "Dirty Little Secret." What did you think? I know it isn't as detailed as others are, but I'm trying to keep this a "T" rating. Anyway, let me know what you think, and I'll try to upload more chapters soon. **

**Please Review!**


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